EFCC logo, Darius Isiaku
By Abdullahi Abubakar
A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, on Thursday granted the former governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, bail in the sum of N150 million in the alleged N27 billion fraud charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
In his ruling, Justice Sylvanus Oriji granted Ishaku bail in the sum with two sureties in like sum.
He held that one of the two sureties must be a federal government employee and must be a Director.
He further stated that the two sureties must be residents in the FCT with their house addresses verified by the Court Registrar.
The court also barred the former governor and his co-defendant, Bello Yero from traveling out of the country without the permission of the court.
Justice Oriji after delivering a ruling on the bail application which was not opposed by the prosecution counsel fixed November 4, 5, and 13 for commencement of trial in the matter.
EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) had told the court that the anti-graft agency on its own, granted the former governor administrative bail and he did not jump the bail as such, they will not be opposing the bail application.
The former governor left office in 2023 after serving as governor for eight years.
Upon his tenure expiration, he was charged with 15 counts by the EFCC which he pleaded not guilty to when he was arraigned on Monday.
In the charge marked CR/792/24, dated September 27, Ishaku and the former Permanent Secretary of Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero are listed as defendants.
The anti-graft agency accused the defendants of diverting the sum of N1,010,000,000 to their personal use between August 25, 2015, and March 21, 2016, in Abuja.
The agency said the amount formed part of the 2.5 per cent contingency funds belonging to the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The EFCC noted that the duo committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code A, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007, and punishable under the same section.
Ishaku and Yero were also accused of diverting an aggregate sum of N1,138,082, 097.71 which formed part of the 2.5 per cent contingency fund belonging to the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs between July 2015 and May 2019.
Also, between September 3, 2015, and January 29, 2018, in Abuja, the defendants were accused of diverting the sum of N761,301,000 to defray the loan of N1bn granted by Zenith Bank Plc. to your company, Worthy Construction Limited.
“That you Ishaku whilst being the Governor of Taraba State and Bello Yero whilst being the Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State between July 19, 2019, and February 5, 2021, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N3,348,942,411.15, which sum formed part of the funds belonging to Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State and Local Government Councils in Taraba State, and you thereby committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property, when you dishonestly diverted the said sum to your use,” the charge sheet partly read.
Other sums that allegedly formed part of the contingency fund diverted by the defendants include N650,686,369.99 between January 6, 2019, and April 29, 2021; N193,030,000 between January 2019, and April 29, 2021; and N170,549,842.00 between January 6, 2019, and April 29, 2021, among others.
